Civilians in Syria's last major stronghold of opposition to President Bashar al-Assad's rule are stocking up on food and digging shelters ahead of an expected army offensive An estimated 3 million people are going to be affected, said rights agencies. Syrian government and Russian warplanes began strikes in Idlib this week. The Presidents of Turkey, Iran and Russia, met in Tehran on September 7 for a summit of key foreign players in Syria’s war, failed to agree on a ceasefire in Idlib. Russia has described Idlib as a “nest of terrorists,” while the United Nations warned that an assault could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe. “There are more babies in Idlib than there are terrorists, and I think that should give those engaging in military action pause for thought,” Karen Pierce, Britain's Ambassador to the U.N., told a Security Council meeting on Idlib.
Hudhayfa al-Shahad walks in a makeshift shelter in an underground cave in Idlib, Syria, on September 3, 2018.
